Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-02-18

10 thlnk IL all out. But time she was
destined not to have, for scarcely had
the echoes of the shout Of the last eman-
cipated urchin died away in the distance
when Mr.. Carlton came up to the I'M
painted pine desk. where the young
teacher sat with her head bowed upon
her hand.
Her face was so pale, and she did not
look up and smile as she was wont to do !;
her whole attitude was so suggestive of
WEAKNESS, il not of dispar T, she was such
wee morsel of humanity, and he was so
strong and manly, that somehow, before
he well knew what he was saying, he was
telling her his passionate longing to take
her into his arms and shield her hence
forth from every discomfort.
She looked up then, with something
OF the look the hunter sometimes secs in
the eyes of wounded doe, looked up,
and crushed the hope out of his heart
with cold refusal.
Then came, for her, the slow agony Of
living on, day after day, knowing that
she had in that one hour of weakness cast
aside all that made life worth living; of
walking daily through the furnace of
trial, with the ghost of her dead hopes
ever reproducing her with the cowardice
that put an end to their bright, but brief
existence.
So two years drifted by, and along
the thorny pathway that she trod EIlice
Gray learned priceless lessons of sclf,ie-
lance and courage; learned to be law
unto herself, and, once having chosen q
pathway, knowing it to be right, grew
strong to follow it steadfastly to the
end, though o thousand tongues might
censure.
Within a month after his rejection
Roy left his aifairs in the hands of his
steward, to whom he gave power of at
torney, and went away to the city. A
year passed, and the dishone steward,
turning everything except the Carlton
homestead into money, gathered his
booty and fed and no one knew Roy's
address.
Ellice Gray knew nothing of this.
When vacation came she had given up
her :hool, for she could not stay where
everything reminded her of Roy. She
was teaching in distant village, when
one morning the postman brought her a
letter which proved to he from former
pupil in Shafton, Roy's home. 1t told
of the loss of his property, stated that he
had of late returned to his home; that
while in the city he had joined volun-
teer corps of tiremen, and while in the
discharge of his duty had been stru k
on the side of his head by falling TIM
Der, and carried away insensibe. "When
he revived" the letter went on to say,
she was blind The physician talked Of
paralysis of the optic nerve, thought
time, or electric treatment, when he had
somewhat recovered from the shock,
might be beneficial, but, SAID the letter,
"Mr. Carlton does not get better, he
seems to have lost all interest in life I"
Then the writer went on to give the
other news of the village, but Ellice did
not read it. Hastily she prepared for a
journey, and when the next train left
the station, it bore her in the direction
of Shafton,
The rosy bushes chased each other
over her otherwise pale checks whenever
she thought of her GRAND, bat she did
not falter, even when she rang the bell
at the "Squire's, s." and was ushered, by
the prim housekeeper into the empty
parlor. Her heart beat tumultously as
she heard the slow, uncertain step come
down the stairs, and the hand grope for
the knob of the door. He came in and
closed the door, and then stood moving
his head from side to side, as if looking
for some one.
II beg PARDON" he said at last, for
Ellice did not speak, ''but does any one
wait to see me3 I am blind"
"Yes, Roy" Ellice answered in a
choked voice, putting out her hand to
lead him to seat 1t was the first time
she had ever called him by h s given
name, and she saw the light flash over
his fare.
"Ellice, oh, my darling" he ex-
claimed, then he stammered, "forgive
me, Miss Gray, that forgot for mo
ment 1t was very kind of you to come. y
II fear you will think the motive self
ish, when have given you my reasons
for coming" she replied, struggling
bravely for composure as she sat down
near him. Then, 'the train leaves in
two hours, and | must return, so you
will pardon me if am somewhat abrupt
in naming my errand3"
Certainly" he replied, courteously
"Wel," said his visitor, somewhat
weakly, striving to gain time, now that
the decisive moment had come, "the
fact is, am thinking of getting mar
ried"
''Ellice," he said, brokenly, "it was
cruel to come here to tell me that. Did
you think 1 had still any hopes that you
cared for me, that you should come
here to kill them with that announce
mentm
'No," she replied, and then, as nc
other words would come, sat staring
helplessly at the pale face, as he leaned
against the cushions of his chair. Pres.
emily she arose and stood beside him.
letting her fingers toy with the crisp,
dark curls that shaded his brow
'Roy," she whispered, hurrying into
speech, lest her courage should fail
"Roy, don't You know that love yor
better than any one else in the world9
loved you then, but l love you al
hundred times more now My life ha'
been one long regret ever since. came
here to-day to ask you to marry me
Don't refuse me, Roy. have suffered
enough for my mistake and love
you"
ooh! Ellicc,' he cried, between pair
and pleasure, chow can / consent! i
would be such sa~rfce"
II know it, Roy" she answered, will
fully misunderstanding him, "when yo,
are worthy of the best woman living
but only let me be your W fe, and | will
try so hard to make you happy
am blind" he mlrmured, hope
lessly.
"I.tt me be your eyes. Oh! Roy" sh'
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